


breathe.

by kissmeniaz



Category: One Direction
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-15
Updated: 2015-04-15
Packaged: 2018-03-23 03:02:13
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 9,426
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3752005
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kissmeniaz/pseuds/kissmeniaz
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The one where Niall is a fifteen year old cancer patient, and Liam is a twenty year old musician.</p><p>(cover made by @IHaveNiamFeels)</p><p>all rights reserved © punkxmalik on wattpad</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

~Not Edited~

Niall sat up in his bed and rubbed his eyes. "Mam!" he called. Which just made Maura almost run into his room.

"yes?" Maura asked softly.

"I don't wanna go today." Niall pouted. Maura sighed softly.

"Niall... don't scare me like that." she sat on his bed next to him. "Don't want to go to your appointment or don't want to do to school?" she asked brushing back her sons hair.

"Either really." Niall sighed and closed his eyes falling back onto his bed. He fixed his cannula nubbins in his nose and glanced at his mam. "Don't make me go."

"I won't make you go to school love, but you can't be skipping appointments." he frowned at her and sighed.

"fine." Niall frowned and Maura left to go get his breakfast.

Niall pulled on this white tshirt, with a red flannel overtop. He also pulled on a pair of ripped skinnies and fixed his cannula back. "Mam!" Niall called again, getting his bag ready. Maura came back into his room, looking tired and she smiled at him.

"you look very handsome." she said fixing his cannula cord onto a portable oxygen tank from his overnight machine.

"Thanks." Niall chuckled softly, grabbing his little tank carrying bag. "I don't understand why I have to go to this."

"Because it's a doctor's appointment Niall." She said a bit sterner and Niall pouted. "you aren't getting out of it."

He just sighed softly and grabbed a beanie, sliding it over his head. He tucked his hair up into it as well.

-

"I don't even see why we attempt with these appointments mam... I'm not getting any better."

Niall sat in the passenger's seat and Maura in the drivers seat. "Take out your headphones." Maura sighed softly and Niall glanced at her.

"I can hear you though."

"Ni please. just for a second." she sighed so Niall did. "You're going to get better... That's why we're doing this darling... I wouldn't be putting you through all of this if it wasn't necessary." she said softly and Niall nodded some.

"Alright." Niall said and slipped his headphones back in. When Maura pulled into the hospital, Niall was already clearly upset. He didn't wanna be here. He didn't WANT to go through this anymore. He was fifteen, and he's been dealing with this for quite a while. He was about nine or ten when they first discovered an abnormality in his lungs. They hadn't identified it as cancer but they knew it needed to be watched.

Now he's back in the same hell hole that wouldn't let him die. When he'd had a severe attack of sorts, he begged his doctor just to slip him something to put him to sleep. A pill or something, that would just not let him wake up. That was less than two months ago.

Mam made him hold her hand as they walked in, which only made some of the other kids here for their either weekly, or monthly appointment look at him a bit funny. "Mam." He mumbled at the counter where she was signing him in. "You haven't got to hold my hand." 

"knowing you, if I don't you're not going to go in." she said quietly and Niall sighed rubbing his head. 

"Can I sit by myself at least? Please." he sighed and she looked at him broken. It must be hell... putting her through this. Niall thought to himself and he shook his head. "Nevermind." 

-

"Niall Horan!" they called. Niall was sitting on his phone, talking to Greg quietly, filling him in on everything he's missed since their last phone call. Greg went back to Ireland about a year and a half ago. After Mam was sure she could take care of Niall on his own. As Greg is considerably older than Niall. He was eighteen when Niall was officially diagnosed, two days before his birthday. So Greg stuck around a few years to help stabilise mam. Their father had left when Niall was only a baby. 

"Bye... I gotta go they called my name..." Niall whispered as mam stood up. "love you. I'll call you later." 

"Bye bud, love you too. Call me after alright?"

"Okay." Niall said and hung up. Mam held his hand in the room, as this is the part he hated. He hated the needles, and the checkups and they scared him half to death. Niall was still mammy's boy. She was sitting next to him whilst they waited on his doctor. His head was pressed against his mam's chest. He just listened to the way her heart was beating and just loving the way her chest rose and fell as she breathed. His didn't like hers anyway. It was more ragged, and slow. Her's was "normal" and that's all he wanted. To be normal.

"Mammy I don't wanna do this anymore." he said softly. 

"You're going to get better sweetheart." Maura whispered and kissed the top of his head. "Mammy loves you."

"i love you too." he whispered softly and in walked his doctor. She was about mam's age and Niall's had her since before his diagnosis, when they were just watching the little "thing" in his lungs. 

"How are you doing today Niall?" she asked sitting on her chair and Niall sat up. 

"As good as ever." he said softly, he couldn't meet her eyes. It's the first time he's seen her since he practically begged her to let him die. He knew how selfish it was now, wanting to end whatever pain he was in and begin his mam's torture. Losing the only thing that kept her going in life. Him and Greg and Greg was already in a different country. 

"No new pains?" she asked grabbing the clipboard and Niall shook his head. 

"Only when I do stairs. It hurts my chest a bit."

"You say that every time love." mam chuckled and Niall cracked a small smile. He loved his mam's smile. It made him feel like she was actually happy. Something she hasn't been truly in years. The last shred of her happiness came when the doctor told her Niall would be needed chemotherapy.

"anything you've noticed Ms Gallagher?" Dr Rubin (Niall's Doctor) asked. Maura shook her head. 

"Eating about the same, maybe just a little more... he's been getting better at long distance walks, and stairs. He thinks he can move back into his upstairs bedroom." Maura smoothed back his hair. Niall had moved out of his upstairs bedroom when his lungs got to the point he needed the cannula. Which was about a three and a half years back. He wanted his old room back. It was way more private than Greg's old room. (Greg's room and Mam's room were on the first floor) His room is now connected to his mam's (as theres a door that connects the two) which means he gets to use mam's on-suite a lot but still. 

He's fifteen and he wants privacy. He sits on his laptop during the day for his classes, and he may screw off some during his lunch hour. But that usually stopped since he took up having lunch with his mam a few weeks ago. Just the other night his mam slept in his bed with him. He was having a problems falling asleep and his chest was really bothering him. Mam said they should probably go to the hospital that night, but he was just having pains, he could breathe some.

So mam just cuddled in bed with him and he fell asleep like that. Mam didn't sleep at all that night. She was too paranoid something would happen to her baby boy and she wouldn't know about it. 

"Move back upstairs huh?" Dr Rubin was looking over Niall's chart. "I don't see the harm in it. As long as he's okay to take the stairs." 

"I can do it!" Niall chirped. "But I wanna stay downstairs with my mam." Niall smiled at mam and she smiled right back. 

-

As they were leaving, Niall bumped into a taller guy walking out of the next room. Mam was still talking to Dr Rubin. "Excuse me, I'm sorry." the man said, his hand was bandaged. His cannula was knocked to the side and the cord was tangled around his cart and he was a little short on breath by the time he managed to untangle everything and slip it back on. 

"It's okay." Niall breathed out.

"are you okay?" the man asked.

"yeah, yeah... just gotta... catch my breath." Niall panted and looked up into brown eyes and smiled as he smiled. "My names Niall." he held out his hand and the other man chuckled.

"Im Liam, and I'd love to shake your hand but..." He held up his casted arm and Niall giggled some. "Whatre you here for love?"

"Oh, weekly appointment... cancer care unit." He shrugged some. Liam's eyebrow rose a bit. "lung." Niall clarified. Liam nodded. "Whatre you here for?"

"I got into a bit of an accident with a piano and an idiot." Liam chuckled softly and smiled. "You're really cute." He smiled and tapped Niall's chin. "You're gunna make someone really happy."

"You think I'm cute?" 

"Yeah."

"cute enough you might ask for my number..." Niall blushed and Liam only smiled pulling out his phone and handing it to Niall. Niall entered his phone number and name before he waved goodbye to Liam and walked out with mam. 

He's gunna have a ton to tell Greg.

\-----------------

A/N: Sorry... I didn't have much time to write this weekend as I have a very close friend of mine in the hospital and I'm kind of out of it.

anyway comment about what you think of Niall and Maura's relationship/ Niall and Greg's and all that good stuff! 

I WANNA HEAR YOUR THOUGHTS 

-Celly C.


	2. one

~Not Edited~

Niall and Maura sat around the table, eating dinner quietly. It's been about a week and a half since he met Liam and they haven't stopped texting since. Unless he was at the dinner table with his mam, as he knew he rule about texting whilst they ate.

"You feeling better today?" Maura asked softly. Niall just nodded. 

"Yeah... I think it was just because I got a bit excited." Niall said softly. He was in the hospital for the night, his chest was absolutely killing him yesterday. So Maura took him to the ER he was released this morning. 

"Well thats great love, why don't you wait to try the stairs again alright?"

"Mam, I can do it. I was just having a bad day yesterday." he explained quietly and sighed some. "I promise... I'm okay."

"Alright." She explained and looked at Niall when there was a knock on the door and smiled a little. "Can you answer the door for me darling?"

"Yeah, of course." niall nodded and grabbed his little bag. He slung it over his shoulder as he walked to the door carefully. He had just a little bit of constriction with his breathing but he answered the door and there stood his brother. Smiling as wide as he could and he had a suitcase in his hand. "Greg!" He giggled and Greg engulfed his younger sibling in a hug. It wasn't very hard, since Niall was so tiny and frail at this point. His body still recovering from only a few months ago. "What are you doing here?"

"I haven't seen you guys since Christmas! I'm allowed to come by." Greg laughed and ruffled Niall's hair some. Greg carried his stuff in and smiled some as Maura chuckled and gave him a hug.

"We're just having dinner, join us sweetheart." she chuckled. They left Greg's bag in the lounge and sat back at the table. All of them together. Niall smiled at Greg and he smiled right back. Maura made Greg a quick plate, knowing the boy would be hungry. 

"Mam," Greg immediately started talking once they were all sitting. "I'm getting married." He smiled widely and it made Mam smile as well. Niall just loved seeing them all happy, but he knew Greg wasn't here for 'just a visit', Mam probably called him. Legitimately thought his time was close. I mean, he's been in the hospital a lot over the last few months. Always another problem, they were to find and it was just about ridiculous. 

"How about you squirt, how are you feeling?" Greg asked. There it is, Niall thought and chuckled softly. 

"Im good. Yeah, I can do half the stairs now, without getting winded." Niall smiled and Greg grinned.

"Progress I see."

"Yeah, progress." Niall repeated and shrugged some. 

"How about this Liam lad, mam met him yet?" Greg asked shoveling a bit more pasta into his mouth. Niall blushed as mam looked at him. 

"This Liam who?" Mam asked. Niall blushed even more. 

"uhm, at the hospital a few weeks ago.. I ran into a boy and he was getting a cast on his hand and I gave him my number..." Niall explained blushing. This was hard for Niall, as he hadn't had really romantic interests. He'd been taken out of school at around age nine and a half and all he had was his books, and telly. He had the internet too but Mam kind of monitored what he did on it. 

"How old is he?" Mam asked softly. She knew her son took an interest in boys when he said (around age thirteen) that this one boy from a band was the most gorgeous thing he'd ever seen. Maura didn't think much of it at first, because he was very attractive. But when Niall started asking for merch and became utterly obsessed with the boy.. she kind of figured it out.

"Uhm.." Niall blushed. 

"Ooh yeah Niall, tell mam this one." Greg laughed softly and smiled. Niall blushed harder and bit on his lip.

"Twenty." Niall said softly and Maura's eyes widened a little. 

"You will not date anyone twenty years old."

"Mam, he's really nice. I swear... he's a musician." Niall smiled giggling as he talked as he'd developed quite the crush on the older lad. 

"a musician huh?" Mam chuckled softly. "Has he asked you for anything..." Niall picked up on where she was going with this.

"No no no nothing like that. He asked if I wanted to get coffee on Friday though... I was going to ask if I could..." Niall smiled. Mam glanced at Greg.

"Its true.. He's told me allllll about it." Greg chuckled and smiled.

-

Around the end of the night Greg sat up with Niall whilst Mam tried to get some rest. Nights have been getting harder on him, and Dr Rubin was about ready to replace the cannula with a mask for the night. "How are you feeling?" Greg asked sitting down on the edge of Niall's bed. Niall sighed and locked his phone. 

"I'm fine, feeling peachy. Except the terminal cancer you know... everything's just splendid." Niall sat up a bit and looked at his brother. 

"Whats on your mind kiddo?" Greg asked softly.

"He probably doesnt even like me..." Niall whispered. "He probably just feels sorry you know... like... he looked at me like he was when it was brought up." Niall mumbled softly and rubbed his eyes a little. "And I worry mam so much. Two months ago she took me to the hospital and I stayed there for a few days. They all said it was severe... I wanted to fucking die right then Greg... I'm tired of this." Niall whispered and rubbed his neck. "Then I realised how selfish that thought is. It's gunna kill mam... It'll be some form of torture for her." 

"Well squirt... I'm sure he does like you, what's not to like?" Greg smiled and Niall coughed a little. 

"Well for one, I'm going to die. You know. No point in even trying in a relationship where your partner is just going to bite it anyw-"

"Don't talk like that." Greg frowned. "Mam's in the next room and she doesn't need to hear that." Greg wasn't convinced Niall would live past twenty-five, twenty if he's lucky. 

"It's true... everyone knows it." Niall sighed softly. "I just... I try really hard Greg... to fit in and everything and I can't even climb the stairs." He sighed softly and looked at his phone, with lit up with a text message from Liam. 

"You're going to be fine, just try to get some rest." Greg said, he kissed Niall on the top of the head. He also peeked into Mam's room wishing her a restful night before walking out. Niall could hear him walking up the stairs.

Niall quickly opened the message and smiled 

From: Liamc:

We're still on for friday yeah?

Niall giggled some. 

To: Liamc:

I'm pretty sure yeah. 

-

Niall woke up sometime in the middle of the night coughing. "Mam!" He called out as he couldn't get his breathing under control. Greg was the first one in his room and he doesn't know how the hell he got there at two-thirty in the morning. 

"What do i do?" Greg asked and Niall crawled himself out of bed turning off the machine and grabbing his oxygen tank. He clipped the cannula cord to it and took a deep breath glancing at Greg. 

"Just tell mam... someone needs to... come and look at that..." Niall breathed and Greg nodded. "Where is she?" he asked. Normally his mammy would be in his room as soon as he started coughing. 

"She went to get some things for you, and for breakfast... said that since I was here she'd do it when the shoppes are still open and whilst you're asleep." Greg explained and Niall nodded setting the tank down beside his bed. 

"i want mammy." Niall whined a little and rubbed his eyes.

"How old are you Niall?" Greg asked crossing his arms.

"fifteen..."

"and do fifteen year old boys want their mammy's as often as you do?"

"I don't guess so... but... Greg..."

"No buts... go back to sleep, I'll change it in a few hours."

"It's only got four hours on it." Niall explained as each of his oxygen tanks had about four hours to four and a half, but if he said four and a half, Greg would wait for five and Niall would probably suffocate. 

When Greg left, Niall laid down. He felt even worst now that he was depending on his mam for so much. He heard the kitchen door open and knew she'd gotten home. He heard rustling around out there but didn't even attempt to get up, as he was tired and he didn't FEEL like moving.

\------------------------

A/N: Soooo Niall has a date on Friday xD

Greg's home and he can be a jerk face to Nialler. But that's what older brothers do ahah.

NIALL'S MACHINE BROKE OH GOSH.

Comment what you think and all that good junk ahah 

-Celly C.


	3. Chapter 3

~Not Edited~

Mam sat on Niall's bed as he pulled different shirts from his closet, looking at them against his torso in his full length mirror. "why don't you wear that flannel?" Mam said softly standing up. She pulled a dark blue flannel from the closet and smiled. "we'll roll up your sleeves and we'll fix your hair a bit." she offered. 

Niall nodded and smiled, he pulled the cannula off and switched into a white t shirt before he fixes it back on. he threw the flannel on and mam fixed his collar, and hair. She just smiled at him and he smiled back. Sure he was pale, sure he looked sickly. Sure he felt like crying because his lungs were being stupid, but what is he supposed to do? Cancel his FIRST date with a GORGEOUS guy just because his chest was giving him a bit of pain? Mam's always told him to power through until it became too much and that's exactly what he plans to do. 

"Do I look okay?" Niall asked and Mam just nodded smiling. 

"You look amazing sweetheart. Now lets fix those jeans." She chuckled softly and Niall rolled his eyes turning around. Mam had a habit of making sure Niall's clothes fit him properly and since he's been dropping weight so quickly, really none of them fit. So his flat little bum in these skinnies that fit him less than three months ago, no longer looked proper.

"Mam we can't do anything about them besides wear a belt." Niall mumbled, slightly embarrassed his mam was poking and prodding at his lower half to try and figure out a way to get his skinnies to fit right. Greg was dropping him off at this little date he had and he may have planned to slip him a condom right before he got out of the car. Just to see how flustered he'd get before he went in for his date. 

-

When Niall had pulled up to the little coffee shoppe, he'd pulled out his wallet and handed Niall the little packet. Niall just looked at it. "What's this for?" He asked and Greg just laughed a little. 

"Don't worry about it bud. just keep it with you." Greg chuckled getting out, opening the door for Niall. He helped get his oxygen cart out and smiled at Niall. "Be careful, I'll pick you up in an hour and a half alright?" Greg brushed back Niall's hair and Niall nodded blushing some. 

"Thanks, getting my cart and driving me and all..." Niall said softly untangling the cords before he accidentally suffocated himself. Greg nodded and Niall walked into the little shoppe, seeing Liam sitting at one of the tables quietly. He was just sipping at his own coffee and he stood up once he caught sight of Niall. 

"Hey." He smiled and Niall waved a little slightly out of breath. Liam looked at him. "You're alright?" Niall nodded.

"Yeah, Yeah... I just need to sit." he took as deep of a breath as he could and sat down.

"Can I get you anything? Coffee or anything?"

"Yeah uhm sure, just whatever you're having I suppose." Niall just breathed slowly and Liam nodded, going up to the counter and getting him a coffee. 

*

"My brother's picking me up in an hour." Niall smiled, Liam just listened to him talk, all about his family and his mam and brother. Niall could see the way his eyes kept drifting to the tank beside him and he sighed stopping mid-sentence. "It's the only way I can breathe. It pumps oxygen into my shitty lungs and mam pays a lot of money for it, just to keep me around." 

Liam nodded a little. "How does it even work?" he asked. 

"It kind of forces the oxygen into my lungs, which in turn forces my lungs to open." Niall shrugged a little. "It allows me to breathe on a day to day basis, but I still can't run like I use to... and I can't walk long distances and I can't climb stairs very well." he just looked at Liam hoping they could steer away from the topic as he came here to be on his very first date. Not to be bombarded with questions about his illness.

"When were you diagnosed?" Liam asked softly sipping his coffee. 

"I was like ten or eleven. They found something when I was nine or something.. I dunno you'd have to ask my mam." Niall sighed glancing at his cup. Liam just looked at him.

"Is something wrong?" he asked.

"Well... I just thought this wouldn't be all about my disease." Niall mumbled softly and Liam sighed. 

"it's just a part of you Niall..." Liam mumbled and Niall shrugged. 

"Still..." Niall tapped his fingers to the table top and glanced out the window. Liam just watched him, even with the cannula he was the most beautiful thing he's ever saw. Quite frankly, Niall being fifteen, Niall's mam could have put Liam in all sorts of trouble. saying he was a child molester or some shit and she didn't, thankfully, liam thought.

-

Liam had kissed Niall's cheek when Greg come to pick him up and Niall smiled, turning red. "I uhm... text me?"

"Of course," Liam smiled and not so subtly checked out Niall's bum in the skinnies he wore as he turned around. Which just caused the blonde to blush deeper. Greg helped Niall back into the car and switched his oxygen tank whilst he was at it. Liam trying to help some which Greg was thankful for. Niall didn't know what to do besides sit there and take a deep breath as he was instructed. 

"I had a nice time." Liam smiled once they'd gotten everything settled. 

"So did I." Niall smiled back and Greg just chuckled shutting Niall's door. Greg turned to Liam and nodded his head for him to follow. They stepped across the sidewalk and Greg just looked Liam over. 

"You're gay?"

"Yes, you could say that." Liam chuckled softly and smiled. Greg nodded some.

"You like my brother?"

"You could say that as well."

"I need you to be careful with him." He asked softly and Liam just nodded. "He knows he's going to bite it sooner or later Liam. Don't bring anything to do with it up. alright? It's at my mam's request. She knows he's asked his doctor just to put him out of it. She doesn't want that in his mind anymore." Greg explained and Liam nodded some sticking his hands in his pockets. He just listened. "We're really worried about him. He just doesn't care anymore." Greg explained.

"So he knows he's going to die?" Liam clarified and Greg nodded.

"He knows, he just doesn't know when. He's been in the hospital a lot recently, so everyone's figuring it'll be soon." Greg sighed glancing at the car to see Niall messing with the dials on the radio. 

"I'll make him forget." Liam mumbled out loud, but he was really thinking, i'll give him what I can and make his remaining days his best.

\--------------

A/N: soooo, I've been gone since I finished Peter Pan, but now theres a sequel and I'm going to begin working on ELA again I think

comment your thoughts pleaseeeee

and I've had a bit of help on awkward. as well

-Celly C.


	4. Chapter 4

~Not Edited~

Niall spent the last few nights in the hospital yet again, which only caused Maura to cry herself to sleep. She didn't sign up for her son to have a tumour in his lungs, she didn't want her baby to die at fifteen. She wasn't ready for it. She didn't want to let go. When Liam drove to their house the morning after to pick Niall up for school (since he'd worked out with Maura that he'd take him to school every friday) they, Maura and Greg, were getting ready to go to the hospital. 

Although no one would admit it, They may have told a tiny lie to get Liam in to see him. One of the nurses understood, that's why she let him slip in. Seeing your "boyfriend" everyday, knowing it could be the last time they'd see the other. She knew what it was like. 

Liam, Maura and Greg walked quietly into the room where Niall was eating his yogurt and watching the small telly with the other patient in his room. "Hey sweetheart." Maura whispered sitting next to him on the bed, Greg had brought the other little boy, who went by Ashton, a few magazines and board games him and Niall could play over the next week and a half. 

"Hi mam." Niall mumbled shovelling yogurt into his mouth. He hadn't been allowed to eat since breakfast yesterday. 

"Slow down bud." Greg laughed and Niall just flipped him the finger, kind of discretely since his mam could literally turn her back and yell at him in front of his friend. Ashton, somehow always ended up in his hospital room. So it wasn't very rare that he'd see him. It seemed like every time they were in the hospital, the other would have some sort of recurrence and they'd be roomed together. 

"Who're you?" Ashton asked glancing at Liam. Niall smiled and with his mouth still full, he said 'my boyfriend.' and Ashton only nodded. "He talks about you a lot." he chuckles and goes to one of those magazines Greg brought him. Ashton's only visitors were his mum and his own boyfriend. His siblings weren't allowed, mum's orders. Luke would come and spend hours on end with Ashton, just talking and taking cute little selfies he'd put on his instagram or something along that nature. Niall was happy to say that Ashton was one of the contacts in his phone, and he had Luke's number, in case of an emergency, but he's never used it. 

Maura brushed back Niall's hair as she fixed his cord from being tangled around the bedpost. You could hear Ash and Ni both cheering on some team on the telly that Liam wasn't particularly fond of. A nurse poked her head in after a bit and told them to dial it down. Niall wiped his face after his yogurt and patted his bed for Liam to sit and when Greg went to, just to be that annoying older brother, Niall pushed him with the best of his ability. Liam, Ashton, Maura and Greg all laughed as Niall crossed his arms. 

"You talk a lot about me yeah?" Liam laughed and took a seat next to him. "And no one's ever officially asked out the other." Liam pointed out and Niall shrugged leaning against his shoulder to finish watching the game. 

-

Liam wanted to go visit Niall by himself without Maura or Greg there, which he knew probably wouldn't happen as they're his family... of course they'll be there. Liam shown up to the hospital, showed his pass and let himself in. He wandered down to Niall's room quietly, hands shoved in his pockets and he could hear the boy coughing, Ashton's quiet voice trying to comfort him. "Shhh, it's okay. It's okay. Just breathe. You're fine." Ashton said softly and Liam just stood outside the door. He didn't wanna mess up any treatment or anything until he got a clear okay he can go in. 

"I cant-" Niall was coughing a bit harder, trying to get air into his tired lungs. He could feel the burn from the lack of oxygen, and he had tears in his red rimmed eyes. "I cant breathe." Niall cried, sounding worse than he's ever had before. 

"Ill get someone. You're fine." Ashton tried comforting, knowing Niall's episodes were getting worse and worse, he pressed the call button and doctors along with nurses were in there in a few minutes. Liam walked back out to the waiting room, dialling Greg quietly.

"Hello?" He sounded like he had a mouth full.

"Hi. Uhm. it's Liam... I decided to come and visit Niall... and they've got doctors and things in his room... he couldn't breathe this morning..."

"Alright." Greg sighed, but then sniffled. "Ill get mam and we'll meet you there." He said softly.

"Okay."

-

About five or six hours after that episode, Niall had a drainage tube inserted. They had to drain his lungs every night now. Since they've discovered the new fluid that's been filling them up. He was going to be here for another week tacked on to the week he was finishing out.

Greg, Liam and Maura all sat around in the waiting room. Maura had thanked Liam a dozen times for calling and she looked so nervous. When Niall's doctor had said something about Niall not making it much longer, she cried and cried. Greg had to just stand there and hold her.

*about three hours before*

Dr. Rubin had been carrying Niall's files in and she took a seat right in front of Maura and Greg quietly. "It's been a long ride hasn't it?" Dr Rubin started and Maura just nodded. 

"It has." 

"Well... I dont even wanna tell you this..." She sighed and rubbed her eyes. "That ride may just end soon, Mrs Gallagher. I'm sorry."

"But you said so yourself... Niall's a fighter." She was close to tears right then.

"He is. He's been fighting for five years Maura." Dr Rubin said softly. After five years of treatment from her, they have kind of gotten on first name basis. "He's tired."

"Isn't there something else we can do? Please." She was pleading. Trying to wipe her eyes. "He's got his whole life ahead of him. He can't give up."

Dr Rubin sighed and took her hand in her's. "I can have a drainage tube put in, if he'll allow it, or if you want it. Right now he's taking oxygen. But I can't gurentee he'll fight any longer. He needs to decide that on his own." 

Maura just nodded.

*Present*

"He's got you Liam. You're his reason to fight." Maura whispered and patted Liam's arm gently and Liam just nodded as Dr. Rubin poked her head in. 

"You can see him now."

\-----------

A/N: well here you go guys.

Comment please

-Celly C.


	5. Chapter 5

~Not Edited~

Niall was sitting up just looking at the screen where he could see the inside of his lungs, as Mam, Greg, and Liam all went it. "Niall?" Mam asked softly and Niall just ignored her. "Niall. Love?" 

"I don't wanna talk." Niall mumbled and whined a little as he moved, the tube catching slightly. 

She sighed softly and sat next to him, kissing his temple. "Alright." She said softly and held him for a little bit as he just cried into her shoulder. 

"It hurts." he cried. Liam's heart was breaking as he watched. He was falling in love with a boy who was ultimately going to die.

"I know baby boy." She whispered softly, tears in her eyes as Niall just hid his face in her chest, her arms just around him. "I know." She sniffled and she brushed back his hair. Greg glanced at Liam and sighed as they both stepped out into the hall.

"He needs some time with mam." Greg said softly sitting in one of the chairs. Liam nodded and sat beside him.

-

"Mammy, I don't want t-to do this." he sniffled and wiped his eyes, Maura still holding him tightly as he cried. 

"Sweetheart, hey. Look at mammy." She said softly and tipped his chin up to look at her. His red eyes, and tear stained cheeks made her want to cry herself. his face was tinted pink and his hair was a mess. He just looked so pale, sickly, thin. "Mammy can't do anything else." she whispered. "It's all you from here on out love. You decide if you're going to make it..." Niall just looked at her, seeing her break from the inside out. The first time his mother has ever broken down in front of him. 

"Mam it hurts." He whispered softly. 

"I know it hurts sweetheart. It hurts me to see you like this." She whispered and rubbed his back gently. Niall sniffled laying his head on her chest to listen to her lungs. 

"I wanna go home." He whispered. "I don't wanna be here, I hate it here. I hate it so much." he sniffled. Maura sighed softly. 

"Ill see what I can do darling, okay?" she whispered and Niall nodded. 

-

Niall was out of the hospital at the end of the week, instead of the extra they'd tacked on. Maura had let Liam drop by every now and again to help Niall out on the porch to drink his tea and talk to him. They'd pulled Niall from school. Everyone was really expecting him to bite it soon, Niall was himself honestly. 

"How are you today?" Liam asked as he helped him out onto the porch, fixing his cannula cord as he sat on the porch swing. holding a cup of tea.

"Best i've been for a while." Niall's voice was quiet, but he managed a smile. Liam gave him a smile right back and Liam sat beside him. Nothing's been official, but after two weeks of getting to know each other. They were both ready to make it so. Only if it weren't for the issue of Niall dying. "I'm never going to get anything Greg has." he said softly and sighed. "He's always one upped me, and now I'm never going to be able to have anything he has." he was barely speaking, but Liam just listened.

"why is that?" 

"I'm dying Liam." Niall glanced at him. "You know that." he whispered, before looking back out to the road in front of the house. "Im never gonna have a family, and I'm never going to be married... I'm never gonna get to race at school again... It's gotten to the point I can't even shower myself without getting winded." Niall teared up a little and Liam wrapped an arm around his shoulder, kissing his temple. 

"You're only dying if you've given up love." Liam whispered and Niall closed his eyes. 

"It's so embarrassing, fifteen years old and you have to take a bath and let your mam wash you up." he says softly and Liam just listened. "It's embarrassing, I'm going to die a virgin, and I've never had my first kiss and It's going to hurt my mam the worse... out of everyone. Greg, you... Mam is going to hurt the most." 

"I'm going to grab the mail alright? I'll be right back." Liam said softly. "I don't think being bathed by your mam is embarrassing." Niall just glared at him as he stood up. Liam went out to get the mail and smiled when he saw the letter he'd placed in there a little while ago. Then he grabbed the rest of the mail, and glanced through it bringing them inside. "You've got a letter Mister Horan." Liam smiled handing him the envelope. 

Niall just looked at him. "For me?" he asked quietly and Liam just nodded. 

"For you."

Niall opened the letter quietly, reading over the four words scribbled on the paper. 'Be Mine? love Liam.' Niall just looked at him and looked at him before he teared up. A few of the tears falling onto the letter as he glanced at it again.

"Liam..." he whispered softly and wiped his eyes. "I can't... I don't want you to hurt..." He said softly and wiped his face free of any tears. 

"You can prince." Liam sat back down next to him. Little did either of them know, Maura was watching from the kitchen window, drinking her tea and smiling as Liam leaned in close to Niall's ear. "I promise you can." he whispered. "Its going to hurt more if you say no." he said softly.

Niall looked at him and smiled only weakly, it's all he could manage. "okay." he said softly.

"Okay, you want to then?" Liam smiled.

"Yeah. Of course." Niall coughed a bit and Liam rubbed his back. Maura getting slightly worried but she didn't go to get him. As she knew Niall wouldn't want her to, unless he's really having some trouble. This was the only time he could be outside, and he loved spending time in the outdoors before he was diagnosed. It crushed him as that time kept getting cut thinner and thinner. 

"Can I kiss you?" Liam asked after he'd finished coughing and took a drink of his tea. Niall had that deer in the headlights look, Liam chuckled. He leaned in and kissed him softly. Not even caring if Niall's eyes were still open and he didn't know what he was doing. 

Niall wasn't functioning at all at this point and his mam was just cheering him on inside. She knew he wanted this. That it's better to let him live whilst he has time left than be worried about a twenty year old boy trying to take advantage of him. He's still around, and he'll be around for a long time. Liam pulled back and smiled softly, "Lets get you back up to bed." He whispered standing up and Niall just nodded. 

-

That night mam was helping Niall prepare for bed, getting all of his machines hooked up and all and she smiled at him. He glanced at her and waved a little. "What?" he asked.

"You haven't said anything about Liam's visit today." she chuckled softly. "Did it go that well?"

"Yeah." Niall said and nodded, smiling slightly. "It went great. He gave me this." Niall handed her the letter and wrinkled his nose up trying to get his cannula to stop tickling a bit. Maura read and smiled. 

"What did you say?"

"Of course I said yes." Niall smiled softly. "He kissed me too..."

"Yeah?" Maura chuckled softly. "I'm going to have to warn him about keeping his hands to himself am I?" 

"No mammy, I'll tell him." niall smiled tucking up under his blankets. He was happy, for the first time in months. Maybe it gave him a bit more strength to fight. He wasn't sure. But he knew he couldn't just let his mam down. 

\--------

A/N:

guys do me a favour and keep Kadie and Adam in your prayers (whatever god you may pray to) or your thoughts. I'm sure Adam will be fine, but just keep him in your thoughts and things. Kadie means a lot to me, and if she's scared because they found some things that need to be looked at then please... just do that.

comment your thoughts on the chapter and a message to Kadie if you want, because I'm sure she'll see it.

-Celly C.


	6. Chapter 6

~Not Edited~

Niall woke weeks after to Maura and some guy from the home health care company in his room. Why were they there? Niall wouldn't be able to tell you that. He rubbed his eyes and Maura smiled at him. "Good morning sweetie. I was just showing him around your room, so he can work on your machine." she said softly.

Niall just nodded and yawned, reaching for his phone. "Can Liam come over?" he mumbled as he just flopped backwards in his bed. 

"Of course darling... but you aren't going outside today alright?" Maura said softly and Niall just nodded, texting Liam the okay quickly. 

"I wanna go sit and watch cartoons." Niall smiled a bit and Maura nodded. 

"Cmon lets get you in some pj's first yeah?" Maura said softly grabbing a t shirt for Niall and a pair of sweats. "Cmon baby boy." Maura chuckled and Niall pushed himself up, moving back the covers. The man from the health company, turned his head a bit. He couldn't be that much older than Liam honestly. Niall thought. He just couldn't be. Maura helped Niall get his t shirt on, and untangled his cannula. Then they got his sweats on him, hooked up his portable machine, and Niall made his way out to the kitchen, carefully grabbed a snack before he sat on the couch. 

"Knock Knock." Liam smiled as he let himself in, Maura entrusting Liam with a key to their home about a week or so before. 

"Leeyum." Niall giggled, sipping at his milk as he ate some oreos. The only thing he truly wanted anymore. Oreos, Milk, and Liam. 

"Hey prince, how're you feeling today?"

"Pretty good actually." Niall smiled. "Mammy helped me get dressed but I did the rest myself. Got my food and walked out here. All myself." Liam sat beside him and kissed his temple gently. 

"That's great love, when's your next checkup?" Liam asked and Niall smiled snuggling into the man who allowed him to eat his cookies and use his jean clad leg as a plate. 

"Friday morning. Mam is taking me... Greg's working just for a little while now, so he can help mam with hospital bills." Niall explained and Liam nodded, playing with Niall's hair. 

"Are you gunna be up for dinner with me friday night?" Liam asked softly as Niall took apart the cookie, scraping the filling off and eating it before he popped the actual cookie in his mouth. 

"YES!" he shouted, mouth full of oreo.

"Good." Liam chuckled softly, just watching Niall eat. Niall rested his uneaten oreos on Liam's knee as he grabbed the remote control, turning on cartoons. He'd yawned and rubbed his eyes. "You sure you're feeling okay?" Liam asked. Niall nodded.

"I am, i did it all by myself today Li. I told you." 

"Are you going to be able to shower by yourself? Or should I get your mumma?" Liam asked softly, knowing the whole shower topic was sensitive for Niall. 

"You could give me a bath." Niall just let himself have a giggle as he took the cookie a part. 

"Yeah? Would you like that?" Liam chuckled, letting himself go along with the joke. 

"Well, I'd rather have my boyfriend help me than my mam. I love her and all but I'm almost sixteen, I don't want her to see... y'know." Niall blushed, and then Liam got that he was completely serious. 

"Yeah I know prince. Lemme talk to your mum yeah?" Liam said softly and kissed his head gently. Niall nodded a bit and took his cookies sitting up carefully.

"Can you hurry? I wanna get clean." Niall said softly and Liam nodded.

-

So after a half hour of fighting with his mam, Niall finally got her to lay off and let Liam help him. Liam had just politely brought it up, and he even said Niall suggested it. So Maura wouldn't ban him from seeing the little boy anymore. 

Niall had told her that no fifteen year old boy just let their mam's see their penis willingly. He didn't want mammy seeing ALL of him. He use to run around in his underwear all the time, he still does half the time. Niall just didn't want mam seeing his pale skin and his not-so-developed boy bits. 

Sure, he might be embarrassed for Liam to see him as well. But Liam was his boyfriend, and he was still developing. he'd barely hit puberty. Niall had insisted Liam give him a bath in the bathroom upstairs so Liam obliged. Niall had explained not to laugh at him or his body and Liam had said he'd never. Liam had ran his bath and left the shower head running in order to wash the boy up. 

He's never given anyone a bath, let alone a fifteen year old boy. "I can do it." Niall said softly. "Will you just sit in here... in case I need something?" Niall asked and Liam nodded. "Turn around." Niall blushed as he carefully took off his cannula so he could get his shirt off. So Liam did. Niall got his shirt off before he was putting the cannula back on and asking for Liam's help. He'd done a lot getting himself up those stairs. 

"I've got you." Liam said softly untying the strings on Niall's bottoms. Niall's skin was so pale and he was so tiny. Maura said he hasn't been eating the same. But they shouldn't be worried, treatments do that. They wear out a patient. 

"Don't look at me." Niall whispered when he knew Liam was taking longer than he needed.

"I'm sorry love... I was just wondering when your last proper meal was." Liam said softly and Niall sighed rather loudly. 

"Before my doctor's appointment last week." Niall said softly. "I've snacked around a lot. Mammy got me some crackers and oreos." Niall shrugged a little and Liam helped him out of his bottoms and boxers. Keeping his eyes away from Niall's privates although he desperately wanted to look. He's just been waiting and he wanted to see. Liam helped Niall sit down in the bathtub, Making sure to keep his cannula cord hooked on the little hook where Niall showed him to hook it. (To make sure the cord doesn't get more wet than necessary). 

"Has your mumma asked about going back to school yet?" Liam asked grabbing a wash cloth for him. Niall just shook his head, and leaned back so he could relax. He was so tired. he just wanted to relax for a bit. "has she talked to you about it?" Liam asked, crouching down beside the bath. Niall shook his head. "She was talking to Greg and I about getting you back in when you start feeling better." Liam said softly brushing back his damp hair. 

"I miss school... But I like homeschooling too." Niall smiled softly and let his eyes close so he could relax better. Liam was more than honoured to be a part of Maura's decisions about Niall. 

"what have you been learning?" Liam asked, leaning his back against the bathtub, just enjoying the younger boys company. 

"We're learning about parabolas in Algebra." Niall smiled. "and classification stuff in Biology. Mammy even let me take a latin class too." Niall smiled softly and yawned. "I should've bathed downstairs." Niall giggled a little and sunk down a bit farther, his cannula tugging on the hook. 

"I'll give you a piggy back ride back downstairs if you want." Liam chuckled and Niall smiled softly. 

"I'm probably going to need it, I can't breathe."

\--------------------

A/N: [idk words]

So I'm reposting and hopefully keeping this up. It'll be great haha.


	7. Chapter 7

~Not Edited~

Liam had piggy backed Niall down the stairs, the little boy giggling his little head off. Mam and Greg were sitting on the couch, watching the tele and laughed when they saw Niall just smiling. 

"How was your bath?" Maura asked, moving the pillows beside her so Liam could set Niall down. 

"It was fine! My cord got a little wet so Liam had to dry it off but I made the stairs all by myself going up! and I even got halfway undressed and ready to go before he even had to help me." Niall smiled at her and she chuckled, sending Liam a silent thank you. 

"Yeah? That's great darling." Maura smiled and Niall giggled a little. 

"Liam wants to take me on a date. can I go? Please?" 

"I said when you're feeling better." Liam said softly. Niall looked at him. 

"Who knows how long I have left Li... If i'm feeling okay enough to walk up the stairs, I can go outside and I can go on a date." Niall stated confidently. Maura sighed looking between her son and his boyfriend. "Please? Can I go?"

"Niall... I don't think that's a smart decision." She said softly and Niall frowned a little. "Baby... you're too weak and you know that."

"I'm not! I swear I'm not! Stop trying to treat me like a baby, I'm fifteen." He said and Greg just chewed on his thumb nail. He knew Niall snapping at their mam was going to come one day but he just didn't figure it would be now. 

"Don't yell at me." Maura said calmly. 

"You're treating me like a baby! You're condemning me to death by not letting me go out and do things that I would like to do before I die." Niall continued. "So what, I don't want to be a child anymore. I wanna grow up and I wanna have a family and I want to get married and have babies. I wanna go on dates mam." Niall looked at her and Maura just sighed.

Niall had to be helped to his room by Liam, since he was grounded for yelling at mam. Which Niall thought was completely unfair because he hadn't been yelling, he was expressing himself just as mam always tells him to do, he was upset and angry that she was treating him like a baby just because of his lung. So he told her exactly what he wanted and now he was grounded for it. Liam kissed his forehead. "I'll see you on Tuesday stop looking so upset."

"What if I die before tuesday? Then I'll never be able to see you again." Niall frowned. 

"Your mammy promised she'd call me if you're having difficulties again." Liam kissed his head numerous times and sighed. "get some rest okay? Tuesday, if you're feeling better I'll take you on a date."

Niall only nodded. 

-

By the time Tuesday rolled around, Niall was back to just sitting outside on the porch for most of the day, slowly regaining his strength back. Dr. Rubin said it'd take time, but he's just about got it. He can do things on his own now, he can shower on his own and get dressed on his own. He still had trouble when it came to the stairs.   
"Liam come in!" Maura smiled opening the door as Niall sat at the kitchen table, eating his cookies and drinking his milk. Liam chuckling when he saw the little boy. Niall just grinned at him. "It feels like it's been forever, and mister mopey over there has missed you." Maura chuckled shutting the door once he had stepped in. 

Niall smiled and wrinkled his nose up, dipping another of his cookies in his milk and then eating it. "Do you want a cookie? Mam made them." Niall said softly and Liam chuckled taking the one right out of between his teeth and popped it in his own mouth. Niall wasn't expecting him to do that but nonetheless, loved the tiny teasing.

"They're delicious." Liam chuckled and Niall just smiled, turning bright red. Niall had been cooped up in the house since he was grounded and mam had taken his phone and his computer so he could just watch the telly, or eat whatever baked treat mam made, or he could draw which with the more practise he's becoming increasingly good at it. "So about our date." 

"I'm ready! I've been ready the whole week." Niall smiled brightly and Liam chuckled. 

"Slow down prince, let me finish." Liam smiled and Maura laughed as her son's heated face got hotter. "I was thinking I could take you for pizza, and a movie. But then I got to thinking, what if you like bowling. Have you ever been bowling?" Liam smiled and drew little shapes on the top of Niall's thigh. He shook his head. "Do you want to go bowling? or do you want to watch a film?"

"I wanna go bowling." Niall smiled and bit on his lip when mam gave him "the stare". Niall nodded his head a bit more confidently when he'd weighed out the outcome of his decision. "i want to go bowling." 

"Ni... it'll be hard on your lungs. There's a lot of work involved in bowling." Maura said softly, pulling more cookies out of the oven and Liam sighed looking at Niall. He saw the little pout forming on his lips and the way he wrinkled up his nose before he scratched at it. "I just worry about you and I don't want you in any unnecessary pain." 

"Babe, let's just watch a film. I don't want you getting grounded again." Liam chuckled. "We can make it load of fun my love. It's the Avengers, you love the Avengers." 

"So what if I love the Avengers? I wanna go bowling." Niall pouted, looking between his mam and boyfriend. "I've been to the cinema a dozen times to see a film and I've never been bowling. I just wanna go once. please?" Niall begged and Maura sighed but eventually agreed. 

\-----------------------  
A/N: [1,016 words]

Hiiii, so yeah. Here's the next update (and I'm keeping up all the stories I have posted as of now.) 

You should check out R&B Queen if you liked Niall and I (if you even read it) because It may be a little similar to that. Not very but maybe a little similarities. No twins, and No asshole boyfriend (That is Liam anyway) but a few things will be shared between them. 

I think Niall is finally learning that he wants to be his own person and that he can't let his disease control him. What do you guys think?   
Please comment? I've been feeling super low with my writing recently and I'm really hoping you guys like it so be honest and tell me your thoughts about the chapter. If it sucked or it it was okay and all that jazz.

-Celly Azad


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